How do I even begin to describe a baby like Rylee?
She’s got all the spunk in the world! She’s crazy, hyper, never ending little ball of energy! She’s a spasm! Did I mention CraZy!
This face…says it all!
Now just imagine that face…with these high pitch shrills and laughs to go with it! And this is Rylee, 90% of the time :)
She’s a contortionist that can twist and turn and wiggle her way out of anything…car seat, bouncer chair, Bumbo, bath tub chair. And the latest, her own high chair. Don’t ask how we know all these things, we’ll let you use her imagination. Ha! But at least she’s still alive!!!
I know, folks, people say ALL the time that babies don’t stop moving. But she DOESNS’T! And even when you’re holding her, she’s trying to climb over you or launches herself for anything in site, but especially for food or water. We know to hold on tight…but there’s been a few close calls when other people hold her…cause who’s prepared for her attempts to escape.
And if she’s not trying to escape…she goes in for the kill :) She’ll take both hands, grab two fists full of hair, and then give *kisses*, mouth WIDE OPEN, all over your face. Seriously, people don’t know what they’re getting in for when they say, “Let me hold her!”
Crawling!
And at the tale end of 5 months, she was movin’ and scootin’ across the floor. Only problem was, I’d set her down for a second…only to find her STUCK under the couch!
She also likes to do yoga moves, like downward dog!
Here’s her at just 6 months doing her pre-crawling baby yoga and elephant walking :)
Sometimes, you just need a little inspiration:
And no matter what, she always seems to find…the JACKPOT!
And now, just a month later at 7 months, she’s finally mastered the full on CRAWLING movements, one foot and one hand at a time.
And by the look of those smiles, I’d say she’s pretty happy about it!
Eat!
Rylee fell in and out of love with solid foods, at least the spoon fed variety.
At first, she LOVEd the stuff.
And in case the pics weren’t enough, here it is in person…just on the tail end of a bowl full of applesauce and oatmeal.
But then she realized, “Hey, wait! I can feed myself!” and didn’t look back.
We started her on solids around 5 1/2 months. When she started doing things like this…eating the high chair!
Nothing gets her more excited (or messy!) than some fresh blackberries. Yummers! 
Can I get some more, please?
And apparently, that’s all we feed her around here…or at least take pictures of!
Really, she eats almost anything. Fresh raspberries, bananas, strawberries, cheese, steamed broccoli and carrots are what she gets fed the most…and never turns them down.
Sometimes, Brooke wants to join in on the action!
Sleep!
You would THINK, and perhaps even HOPE and PRAY, a baby this active would LOVE to sleep. Sleep all the time. But oh NO! She’s the first one up most mornings, and usually the last one to go to bed. Her naps average 30 minutes, unless, of course, I cuddle her in my arms and let her lay down with me, and then maybe she’ll sleep for another hour. Tops!
There’s nothing more beautiful than a sleeping baby…at least to me. Maybe cause it’s a sight I rarely get to see!
And at bedtime, she typically wakes up every two hours, or if we’re lucky, 3 hours. Yet most morning I awake in a fog…with a baby in my bed…with no recollection of how she got there!
One night, we were both sick with horrific coughs. As soon as I’d get her to sleep and lay her down, she’d wake back up in coughing frenzy. After being awake several times that night, and the last stretch lasting over an hour at 4am, I was defeated! She wanted nothing to do with nursing (cause she couldn’t breathe) and I had tried medicine, rocking, walking…and nothing was working. I was ready to give up (or throw her across the room)! Finally, I laid her in her crib and just let her scream. I was dying to use the restroom, and then I thought of one last thing to try – I said a prayer. And you know what…she was QUIET in a few seconds. Let me first say, she’s never ever gone to sleep on her own. Small miracle and tender mercy from the Lord! Now if we could just repeat that every night :)
And be Merry!
But she’s one HAPPY baby! When I try to explain Rylee to others, I’m pretty sure they think I’m the crazy one. But she’s so HAPPY and always smiling! SHe’s not tired and cranky, she doesn’t need a nap (she’s great at fooling people)!
She loves to smile and flirt and reach out her arms for other people…super social! Ironically, as soon as she’s in someone else’s arms, she begins to cry. For her momma! Every single time. And then will repeat.
GIGGLES!
Pure, unadulterated, baby giggles at it’s finest. I couldn’t decide which was my favorite…so you get both :)
This was her last time in the baby tub…she’s gotten too big. And she literally was trying to drink the water as it came out of the faucet!
In the kitchen, Rylee has a whole drawer dedicated to stuff she can explore. This lets me be free for approx 60 seconds while I am suppose to make dinner.
If the kids are heading outside, Rylee wants to go too. She isn’t shy…and let’s me know exactly what she wants. The SWING!
I picked this up at a garage sale and it’s been her favorite toy since. Almost a little too much! She tries to use it to stand up, and well, took the toy down with her when she fell. But she still loves it :)
Jumping
Pretty sure the other kids like this just as much as Rylee does. Rylee has a love/hate relationship with this…depending on her mood…or her audience…she loves this thing. Other times, she’s thoroughly offended by it.
Rylee’s paparazzi cheering her on :)
Usually when she gets going, I can’t hear anything else.
Rylee makes our world go round and round! And oh, how we love, love, love her, craziness and all!!!
